their leaues for medicine Compare the particulars together and you shall finde an excellent agreement betwixt these places so that I doubt not but in this vision it is alluded vnto that there the graces of the Church militant being represented here the glory of the Church triumphant betwixt which there is a great analogy and correspondency The riuer here is the Spirit of God who is most pure and holy proceeding from the Father and the Sonne who is also as a riuer of liuing waters in the Saints refreshing and comforting them without end The tree of life is Christ for so much as he onely is food to them that liue for euer and hereby it appeareth that this is spoken of the glorified estate of the Church because when a reward in heauen is promised to him that ouercommeth it is vnder these termes To him that ouercommeth I will giue to eat of the tree of life Chap. 2.7 And both in the riuer and this tree it is plainly alluded vnto Paradise out of which a riuer arose and wherein was the tree of life This one tree was manifold both in the midst of the street and on either side of the riuer because there is no want of it to the infinite multitude of Saints but euer ready there to yeeld food vnto them all And to shew the multiplicity of delights that are herein twelue sorts of fruits and fruit-bearing euery of the twelue moneths in the yeere is ascribed vnto it which doth also imply a tree alwayes flourishing neuer fading and the leaues are healthfull to the nations that is not as if sicknesse were now incident vnto them and they needed healing for all sicknesse and paine is done away but to declare their euer healthfull condition there being no lesse vse of medicine to preserue health than to restore it From hence forward all things are easie and need no interpretation vntill v. 10. howsoeuer some expound Iohns falling downe at the feet of the Angell to worship him Vers 8. Brightman vers 8. as an act repeated from Chap. 19.10 and not done the second time but it is plaine that hee was againe to blame herein hauing so soone forgotten himselfe after that admonition whereby we may see what the weaknesse of the best and of the most holy is if they bee not continually propped vp by Gods grace that we all may continually craue it out of an humble acknowledgement of our weaknesse much more and not presume in any case vpon our owne strength Vers 10. But Vers 10. it may bee doubted why Iohn is bidden not to seale vp this Prophecy and what the Angell meaneth by bidding him that is vniust to be vniust still for he saith Vers 11. Let him that is vniust be vniust still c. The common answer here is that sealing being vsed to keepe close writings that they may not be lookt into and read the Lord would not haue this Prophecy sealed because he would haue all his people to looke into it and vnderstand it as setting forth things which were shortly to begin to take effect Whereas Daniel is commanded to seale vp his Prophecy Dan 12.4 it was because it should bee a long time before it should take effect a certaine argument that Antichrist being the chiefe subiect of this Prophecy came long agoe and is not still to be expected Touching the other words Let him that is vniust be vniust still c. they are not spoken as intimating a leauing of euery one to the liberty of his owne will as Popish Writers doe hence collect but come aptly in here after the leauing of this Booke vnsealed mentioned For if it should be thought this will doe more hurt than good the wicked enemies of the truth being rather prouoked against the faithfull professors of it by hauing these things applyed against them the Lord careth not for this for he will soone come to giue them their payment for all so that the faithfull may bee comforted and the more setled in righteousnesse and holinesse◠thus some Bullinger Pareus And this indeed doth very fitly agree seeing the Booke left vnsealed to the reading and considering of all sorts is by the wicked but contemned they being no whit the more moued to a reformation Andreas Tho. Aquin. Some will haue these words to be spoken prophetically as if the Lord expected none other euent but a neglect of this prophecie amongst the wicked who would not be reformed at all hereby for thus it is plainly spoken in a like case in the Booke of Daniel Many shall be purified Dan. 12.10 Napier Eccles 11.9 but the wicked shall doe wickedly Some hold it to be ironicall as that in the Preacher Reioyce O young man in thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart c. but know that for all this God will bring thee to iudgement It is not amisse to follow any of these Expositions but I preferre the second vnderstanding the words as propheticall and withall I thinke that they haue reference to the former words about leauing the Booke vnsealed sealed for the speech concerneth alike the godly and the wicked and therefore cannot be ironicall Whereas the righteous are bidden to be righteous still Popish Expositors turning it Let the iustified be yet more iustified thinke that they haue a ground here for the increase of iustification after that a man is by faith iustified he may by his good workes make himselfe more iust but for so much as the righteous here is opposed to the vniust spoken of before and the holy to the filthy such righteousnesse must needs be vnderstood as is contrary to vnrighteousnesse viz. righteousnesse in fact and not the righteousnesse which is by faith wherein a man may and ought to grow daily but neither is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus rightly expounded for it is still noting perseuerance herein and not an increase of it for thus this word is vsed Vers 3. There shall be no curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Chapter 10. the Angell sweareth That time shall not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 3.12 After this the Lord Iesus being described and they which shall be shut out of this City againe mentioned and the contents of this booke confirmed there is an inuitation to drinke of the water of life made to all that will Vers 17. Vers 1◠17. I am the root and the off-spring of Dauid and the bright morning starre And the Spirit and the bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoeur will let him take the water of life freely Christ calleth himselfe the root of Dauid in respect of his Diuinity and his off-spring in respect of his humanity and the bright morning Starre for the light of comfort which wee haue by him before the Sunne of glory ariseth that shall bee reuealed The Bride is the Church the Spirit speaketh in the
that the vertues of this Lambe should be thankfully commemorated It is called a new song in respect of that in the former Chapter there are the praises of the creation which was of old here the praises of the redemption which was new Quest 3. Vers 9. And wee shall reigne on the earth How shall the Saints reigne vpon earth or how is it that being Kings in Heauen they ioy in thinking vpon a future reigning here Answ Forbs Brightman Some vnderstanding all of the Church militant say That reigning vpon earth is nothing else but being in the Kingdom of grace whilst we liue here Others vnderstanding it of the Saints in Heauen Bullinger Pareus say That the reigning vpon earth shal be when at the last day the Iudge descending they shall come together with him in great glory and shall appeare to be the Kings and Priests of God with Christ iudging this wicked world Arethas Mat. 5. Others againe vnderstand by earth that new earth which is promised to the meeke when it is said Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth And vnto this as the most probable doe I subscribe for there shall be a new Heauen and a new earth Chap. 21.1 and here shall the godly reigne in glory not as the Chiliasts and Turkes hold liuing in earthly pleasures for that is grosse neither is it to be thought that such pleasure is affected by such as are heauenly and spirituall but after the consummation of all at the Day of Iudgement the Saints shall reigne in another world which in allusion to this consisting of Heauen and Earth is called a new Heauen and a new Earth Or else consider whether it may not be vnderstood of the vpper hand which the Christian Religion should get of all false religions when Emperours and Kings should become Christian for being all of one mysticall body when the Christian Church getteth the principality the Saints in Heauen may reioyce to foresee it and say We shall reigne vpon earth that is our company which belong vnto the Lambe and admire and praise him as we doe And it was no small comfort to know this then when as all Empire and dominion was in the hands of heathen men and persecutors it must needs cheare vp the heart greatly to vnderstand what power Religion should haue ouer the Thrones and Scepters of this world and the ancient seruants of God may well be said to reigne vpon earth also because their dictates and instructions are generally receiued and obeyed vpon earth Quest 4. Vers 13. And I heard euery creature in Heauen and in earth vnder the earth and in the sea and all in them saying blessing and honour c. What are the creatures vnder the earth and how doth euery thing speake the praises of God when as all cannot speake Answ Ribera The Papists will haue the soules in purgatory meant by those vnder the earth some the Deuills who are compelled to giue glory to Christ But the best exposition is of the creatures which dwell in subterranean places for both they that are without and within the holes of the earth are called vpon to praise God Psal 148. and doe praise him and the Lord Iesus Christ in their kinde by whom a restauration of the world is attained when the faithfull shall be glorified as is declared Rom. 8.21 and for this cause they serue his prouidence which is their praising of him It is generally signified hereby what a consent there is amongst all things which are in expectation of benefit from Christ in celebrating his praises that we may doe likewise CHAP. VI. HEre is shewed how the Lambe beginneth to open the Seales in order and what followeth vpon the opening of each of them by such things as appeared future euents concerning the Church of God being emblematically set forth as the opening of euery Seale succeedeth one another and after the Seales follow the Trumpets Eullinger Forbs Brightman Lyâ—a Antonin Ambros lib. adulterinus Fox and after the Trumpets the Vials so some will haue the euents hereby set forth to succeed one another in order in diuers ages to the end of the world And some begin the computation from the beginning of the world by the seuen Seales vnderstanding the seuen ages Some from the foure Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians Grecians and Romans which they will haue set forth by these foure horses which beginnings cannot stand because Iohn is not taken vp to see things past but to come by which reason also that opinion reckoned vp by Andreas is confuted expounding the first Seale of Christs Birth Andreas ex Methodio the second of his Baptisme the third of his Miracles the fourth of his Arraignment the fift of his Buriall the sixt of his Descent c. The rest which speake more probably beginne the time at the Apostles going out to preach the Gospell in all nations and so apply euery thing to some notable accident as one happened after another from age to age Yet because at the opening of the sixt Seale mention is so plainly made of the last day of Iudgement as that it is but a wresting of the words to expound it any other way and againe at the sounding of the seuenth Trumpet it is so confidently affirmed that time was no more chap. 11. and the time is said to be come of iudging the dead vers 18. which cannot be meant but of the day of Iudgement and againe Chap. 14. the Vintage is cut downe and the Wine-presse trodden and againe Chap. 20. the dead arise and come to iudgement I cannot see how that computing of all things in order to the end can stand because the day of Iudgement which is last of all commeth so often in the way There are therefore that beginning the time at the propagation of the Gospell abroad in the world make diuers periods in these visions holding that within euery period most notable things which should happen to the end of the world are set forth Parcus in the first more obscurely and in euery following period more plainly and yet not alwaies the same but if any thing of note hath beene omitted in the former it is supplied in the periods following neither is euery one so vniuersall as another for some set forth the estate of the Church persecuted by Tyrants flourishing vnder Christian Emperours persecuted by Antichrist shaking off his yoke as the vision of the seuen Seales of the seuen Trumpets of the woman with childe cloathed with the Sunne and of the Angell binding the Dragon being afterwards loosened againe but some set forth that part of the estate of the Church only which was in Antichrists reigne and ouerthrow as the seuen Vials and the vision of the great whore and her destruction And vnto this as being most without exception doe I subscribe the rather because S. Augustine long agoe gaue some light to this method saying
earthly things the honours and preferments of this world they cry out Who is like vnto the beast or who can warre with him Beda Primas Richard de Sancto Victore Haimo Ansel Tho. Aquin. Many Ancients who are commonly followed by the Papals say that Antichrist shall feine himselfe to bee dead three daies and then reuiuing againe he shall strike all men into an admiration c. But Viegas himselfe doth sufficiently confute this because it is not said hee seemed to be dead but was wounded deadly and therefore he rather holdeth that one of the seuen Kings which shall fight against Antichrist but afterwards submit vnto him shall before such his submission bee wounded but after be cured againe but this is as absurd as the former for not an opposite but an head of this beast is wounded and therefore no King fighting against him Let them tremble that reade this passage who admire after any man and extoll and magnifie him as if he were a God as the Papists doe the Pope for in thus doing they worship the Dragon and shew themselues plainly to be such as haue not their names written in the booke of life as it followeth vers 8. Quest 5. Vers 5. How can the speaking of blasphemies be applied vnto the Pope the blaspheming of God and of his Tabernacle and of such as dwell in heauen when as he doth worship them all And what time is this two and forty moneths of which it is said Power was giuen him to make warre two and forty moneths Answ I hold herein with those Pareus P. du Moulin Brightman that expound this blaspheming of God of the Popes arrogating to himselfe such titles and abilities as belong vnto God onely the titles of the head and husband of the Church King of kings the Lord of heauen earth and hell that hath all mysteries and lawes in the closet of his brest Iudge of all and to be iudged of none who hath all power in heauen and in earth shutteth and no man openeth openeth and no man shutteth yea and the Lord God the abilities are to make something of nothing to make God to make the word to be free from all possibility of erring to make decrees of the like certainty and authority with the Canonicall Scripture to be such a vniuersall Soueraigne as that all vpon paine of damnation must be subiect vnto him to giue the kingdomes of the earth c. for all these are maintained properly to belong vnto the Pope and accordingly he doth take vpon him Now that this is a blaspheming of God it hath beene a tenent so ordinary and common as that when our Sauiour Christ did take the like vpon himselfe as to be the Sonne of God and so God the Iewes cryed out hee hath blasphemed neither can a man speake greater things of himselfe and more blasphemous against God than these He blasphemeth his Tabernacle which is his Church by vaunting that the Church whereof he is the head is the onely true Catholike Church arrogating thus vnto his Apostaticall Synagogue that which is proper to the true Church of God and as for the true Church indeed he ladeth it with most ignominious names of hereticall schismaticall infidell deuillish and damned The Church is called the Tabernacle in allusion to the Tabernacle of the Iewes wherein God sometime dwelt in the middest of them Hee blasphemeth the Saints in heauen by making idoll Gods of them affixing them to certaine Temples where the old idols of the heathen sometime dwelt and assigning them such offices some to be ouer hogs some ouer horses some ouer this particular disease some ouer that c. P. du Moulin Pareus Brightman These expositors doe also mention another inter pretation of heauen being taken for the Church and so the Saints there for the godly here whom the Pope blasphemeth by imputing vile names vnto them and laying to their charge vile actions but certainly wee must make a distinction betweene the Tabernacle of God here mentioned and heauen otherwise the word should not haue beene varied but as it was spoken of blaspheming the Tabernacle so it should haue been added and the Saints that dwell in this Tabernacle but it is the Saints in heauen which may wel be properly vnderstood and therefore this sense is the rather to be preferred They make also the blaspheming of them the ascribing of diuine properties vnto them as when the Virgin Mary is prayed vnto by the name of Queene of heauen our Lady our onely hope our saluation and mediatrix and when of her and other Saints is begged helpe comfort deliuerance from sinnes and from damnation This is indeed a blaspheming of God by ascribing that vnto his seruants which is peculiar to his maiesty but how it should be termed a blaspheming of them I cannot see for it is rather an ouer-honouring of them Some vnderstanding all of the old Roman Emperors Bullinger Fox say that they spake great things when they boasted of their great victories and blasphemed by preferring their idols before the God of Israel the Tabernacle which was amongst the Iews by vilifying it and the Saints by speaking vily of the holy Prophets and other seruants of God But seeing this is after the wound giuen and healed in the Popes arising to the Imperiall State as hath beene already shewed the order will not permit this exposition Andreas Some by the Tabernacle of God vnderstand the body of Christ which is blasphemed by the Popes taking vpon him to make it in the Masse affirming that the Bread is his true substantiall body and therefore to be adored as Christ himselfe Gagnaeus Gorran Blas Viegas Beda Haimo c. As for the expositions of those that apply all things here to Antichrist yet for to come holding that hee shall blaspheme God by saying that he is no God that himselfe is God that he shall blaspheme his name in speaking against the life Doctrine of Christ his Tabernacle that is the Church militant dwelling here as it were for a time in Tabernacles and the Saints in heauen by saying that they are all damned These I say and the like whereby the ancients haue beene carried away in times past I omit to confute as falling together with that tenent of Antichrists reigning but three yeeres and an halfe reiected long before in this our exposition As for the time wherein it is giuen him to doe Vers 5. or to make warre for in some copies it is read the one way and in some the other viz. two and forty moneths this is the same time which was mentioned before Chap. 11.2 Chap. 11. and is to bee computed likewise the reader therefore may haue recourse thither Some expound it of the continuance of the Roman Empire Beard as it was gouerned by Emperours and Kings c. till the comming in of the Gothes and Vandals for from the building of Rome till the
is sayd not to sinne enough hath beene spoken of this alreadie 1 Ioh. 3.6 7. c. Some thinke that the sinne vnto death before spoken of only is meant Beda Hugâ— Glâ—sserdin from which they are free But according to Oecumenius and others I hold that other sinnes are meant also whereby they sinne not in heart and minde which is set against all sinne He that is borne of God keepeth himselfe In the vulgar Latine it is The generation of God keepeth him which howsoeuer it doth better point at the fountaine of the diuine vertue by which we are preserued yet an alteration in the reading is not to be admitted And being read as in the Greeke nothing is hereby ascribed to the libertie of a mans owne will before grace commeth but onely it is taught that a man regenerated by the Spirit that is in him persisteth in a continuall care of auoyding sinne for in naming him one borne of God hee doth plainly referre vs to his new birth as the originall of this godly care and not to any thing naturally in him which is to be considered against those that from hence maintaine free will The euill one toucheth him not that is the Deuill as the word here vsed is commonly taken He is said not to touch him because though hee may tempt him yet seeking thus to hurt him he profiteth him neither can he tempt him without Gods permission for his good at the last The whole world lieth in euill Vers 19. that is as Oecumenius hath already expounded it the vnregenerate company such as the most are are not onely tempted and at some times preuailed against by Satan but are wholly mancipated vnto wickednesse and to doe his will Vers 20. Christ is sayd to be eternall life that is the Author of eternall life to those that beleeue in his name Babes keepe your selues from Idolt Vers 21. Daâ—â—mas One moueth a question why S. Iohn writing to those that were so well grounded in the truth addeth this admonition and answereth that this was added for their sakes that were not so grounded but were newly turned from Heathen idolatrie lest they should relapse againe and moreouer that false doctrines Beda Hugo because they are fictions are a kinde of Idols and so some others But the most receiued and best interpretation is to vnderstand Idols literally as Oecumenius doth and Lyranus Glossa ordinaria Caietan c. And so this admonition is most aptly added after Christ set forth vers 21. to bee the true God therefore the Christian religion is to be adhered to neither ought wee by any meanes to be drawne backe to idolatrie againe as most opposite vnto it So that considering what hath fallen out amongst Christians since the writing of this Epistle it may iustly be counted a propheticall admonition needfull for these times to take heed of Poperie as being through the grosse idolatrie thereof nothing else but â—enued Gentilisme But they dally with the word and say that it is an Idoll that we are to take heed of not an Image that is a representation of some god that neuer was not of any diuine thing that is But the vulgar Latine reading it simulachrum ouerthroweth this distinction and taketh away the benefit of it Epiphan epist ad Ichan Hierâ—s Episc And so Epiphanius long agoe conceiued For saith he Entring into a Church at Anablatha to pray I found there a cloth hanging vpon the doore painted as it were with the image of Christ or of some Saint which when I had seene in the Church of Christ against the authoritie of the Scriptures I cut it in peeces and aduised the keepers of that place rather to winde vp some dead bodie in it This Epistle was translated by Ierome out of Greeke into Latine shewing what his iudgement also was herein Note here that according to these Ancients the image of Christ set vp in a Church is against the holy Scriptures and not images of heathen gods only Note that Christian loue bindeth vs Note as to pray for the remission of our owne sinnes so for the remission of the sinnes of others also that by infirmitie are at any time ouertaken with sinne And prayers in this kinde made by the faithfull shall be heard that we may be excited the more to desire the prayers of one another and the more ready in loue to put in practice this dutie Note againe Note that some kinde of sinning is most dangerous viz. to sinne wilfully and willingly contemning all admonitions As the case of Saul was wofull when God forbade Samuel to pray for him so is the case of such the benefit of the prayers of the faithfull is hereby taken away Heb. 10.26 If we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne THE SECOND CATHOLIKE Epistle of St. IOHN TOuching the Authour of this Epistle I haue spoken already in my Preface to the first prouing it by manifold testimonies to be the Epistle of Iohn the Apostle and so Canonicall Scripture I haue also there shewed the reason why hee writeth himselfe Elder and not Apostle or Seruant of Iesus Christ as others haue done Oecumenius thinketh Oecumen that he had respect herein to their first receiuing of the Gospell in those parts by the Ministerie of Paul after whom he came to preach vnto them and therefore not being the first there he would not write himselfe Apostle nor Seruant because of the singular loue of the Lord towards him exempting him from the feare of seruitude How these two Epistles being directed to particular persons may beare the name of Catholike I haue also shewed in my Preface to the Epistle of Saint Iames. The argument of this Epistle is an exhortation to loue and an admonition against heretickes To the exhortation hee maketh way by congratulating the faith and obedience of her and of her children vers 1 2.3 4. Then he exhorteth to loue commending the precept hereabout from the antiquitie of it vers 5. and shewing that the true loue of God consisteth in obedience vers 6. Then he inueigheth against deceiuers giuing warning against all familiaritie with them vers 7 c. to the 11. And lastly hee concludeth with the intimation of a purpose to see them shortly and with salutations vers 12 13. 2 IOHN Verse 1. The Elder to the elect Ladie and to her children THere is much difference amongst Expositors about these words Mayer the elect Ladie who should bee meant hereby Clemens Alex. Athanas in Synopsi Th. Aquinas Some will haue Electa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee a proper name or that her name was Electa and being a person of high qualitie she was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ladie as amongst the Turkes he which is next vnto the Emperour is called as by a particular name Despotes or Lord And amongst the French the next to the King
inueigheth saying That he wrote an Epistle to the Church but Diotrephes that loueth preeminence receiueth vs not It is vncertaine who this man was but most probable that he was an Arch-heretike as Beda calleth him Beda who by teaching new things had rather vsurpe vnto him the primacy of knowledge than humbly hearken to the old precepts of the Church which Saint Iohn preached The name Diotrephes signifying one nourished by Iupiter argueth one of an high ranke for Homer calleth Kings by a name not much differing here-from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereas in the Greeke it is Sâ—ripsissem forsitan Ecclesiae I wrote an Epistle the vulgar Latine hath it I would haply haue written as though being about to haue commended the charity and hospitality of Gaius to the Church he were hindered because he knew that Diotrephes would hinder the reading of it But according to the Greeke which is truest if it be read I wrote it is most likely that he meant his first Epistle which Diotrephes who perhaps was Bishop where Gaius dwelt would not suffer it to be read to the Church there Who Demetrius was Vers 12. here mentioned also it is vnknown onely he is a good example for all men in place to imitate He saith that the truth gaue testimony to him that is they were not words only that went of him but indeed hee performed what all men reported of him Learne we by the example of Diotrephes not to affect preeminence for this is the ground most commonly of damnable heresie let that rebuke giuen by Christ to Zebedeus his children affecting superiority bee alwaies sounding in our eares to keepe vs humble and lowly And by the example of Demetrius let vs learne by well doing and not by making a good shew to lay the foundation of a good name especially so that they which are our ouer-seers in the Lord may giue a good testimony vnto vs. THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF THE Apostle IVDE THis Epistle is and hath beene receiued for canonicall Scripture in all ages since the Apostles daies no doubt being made but that Iudas the Author of it was an Apostle Luther in Iude. Onely Luther coniectureth he was but a Disciple of the Apostles because vers 17. hee exhorteth to remember the words of the Apostles Perkins in Iude. But one answereth this well that he liued after Peter and Paul and writing this Epistle when they were dead and gone hee might well put them in minde of their writings being of so great note and name that to alleage any thing formerly taught by them was likely to moue the more And in tracking Peter in his 2. Epistle Chapter 2. which is another thing obiected he doth no more than hath beene formerly done in the Bookes of Chronicles setting forth many things had before in Samuel and Kings and by the Euangelists and especially Marke whose Gospell is almost nothing else but an abridgement of Matthew This Iude is called also Thaddeus Mark 3.18 and Lebbeus Mat. 10.3 which two words according to Rabanus Rabanus signifie one thing viz. Cordis cultor a purifier of his heart or one that husbandeth the heart It is generally thought that he had all these names but in the Gospells is called Lebbeus or Thaddeus not Iudas because the Euangelists had a desire to blot out the memory of Iudas his trechery by leauing out the name from amongst the rest of the Apostles But it seemeth to me that hauing diuers names they were promiscuously vsed without any such respect for if they had had a desire that the name of Iudas should haue beene forgotten they would not haue put Iudas Iscariot into the number as they doe and this Author would not haue written himselfe Iudas but Thaddeus or Lebbeus in the superscription of this Epistle But haply because though others called him Lebbeus or Thaddeus hee in modesty would not affix this name signifying a dresser of the heart lest he should seeme to arrogate to himselfe according to one Th. Aquinas But hee writeth himselfe Iude the brother of Iames that is of Iames the sonne of Alpheus who is by many ancient Historians reported to haue beene the first Bishop of Ierusalem and for his most holy life of wonderfull reputation euen amongst the Iewes themselues And therefore many Expositors thinke that Iude here maketh mention of him as being his brother to purchase the more credit to his Epistle But if we obserue the Lords sending forth of his twelue Disciples by couples we shall finde that Iames the sonne of Alpheus and Thaddeus are coupled together Mat. 10.3 and with the other Iudas the traitor Simon was coupled To the end therefore that he might distinguish himselfe from that Judas so infamous he beginneth Iudas the brother of Iames as by Christ they had beene formerly coupled Touching the Argument all agree that there were certaine filthy Heretikes sprung vp in the Church that vnder the colour of Christian liberty did liue in a most sensuall manner and contemned the Magistrates authority Epiphan Oecumen such as Epiphanius and Oecumenius name the Gnostickes Nicolaitans Valentinians and Marcionites that rose out of the Schoole of Simon Against these Iude here writeth describing their wickednesse and shewing the iudgements that hang ouer their heads therefore For Epiphanius hauing set forth the filthinesse of the Gnostikes whose root as it were Simon was but that the Gnostikes were a fift ranke after him Menander Saturninus Basilides and Nicolas comming betweene thus saith The Spirit of God being moued in the Apostle Iudas about those things wrote thus Whatsoeuer things they know naturally as bruit beasts herein they corrupt themselues c. Touching the parts of this Epistle after a salutation vers 1 2. he declareth the occasion of his writing viz. the springing vp of vngodly heretikes lest they should bee seduced by them that they might rather oppose them and stand for the truth vers 3 4. touching which vngodly ones First hee layeth open their vices vers 4 Secondly he rehearseth examples of the like and of the iudgements befalling them shewing how neare a similitude is betwixt these and them vers 5 6 7 8. Thirdly making way by a contrary example he taxeth other vices in them vers 9.10 Fourthly hee addeth other examples and similitudes whereby hee might yet aggrauâ—te their viciousnesse the more vers 11 12 13. Fiftly he applieth Enochs prophesie against them vers 14 15. Sixtly without vsing any further similitude hee taxeth other sinnes in them vers 16. The rest of the Epistle is spent in exhortation First to remember the predictions of the Apostles touching such men vers 17 18 19. Secondly to keepe themselues in a pure and holy way to the end vers 20 21. Thirdly to deliuer others from the great dangers wherein they were by reason of those wicked ones before spoken of vers 22.23 so ascribing glory to God that only knew and was able to preserue them from infection
to hinder the proceedings of the Gospel These six visions are not a continued prophecie of things to come which shall in such order succeed one another for most of them doe extend to the end of the world but like vnto a Tragedy wherein the fame things are diuersly acted For so what is represented in the first vision here by one appearance is represented againe againe in others by other appearances the first setting things forth more obscurely the other more plainly and this iteration is made for more assurance as Peter saw a sheet let downe from heauen three times And as in a Tragedie in euery scene there is musicke to giue the more content and to delight the mindes of the spectatours so in these visions there is singing and praising of God These visions yet doe not all of them set forth the whole period of time to the end of the world nor the same occurrences within the compasse of the same time which one setteth forth with another but one some most remarkable matters and another others happening in that time Foure of them are vniuersall containing the whole time the first Chap. 4 5 6 7. the second Chap. 8 9 10.11 the third Chap. 12 13 14. and the sixt Chap. 20 21 22. The other two are particular because they serue to set forth onely the two last parts of the whole time which is diuided into soure First containing the time of the Churches wrestling and flourishing vnder the persecutions of heathen Emperours till Constantine the great The second the time of reigning and growing corrupt till the arising of Antichrist The third the time of Antichrists oppression till the two witnesses The fourth the time of Antichrists ruine and vtter destruction And these two last times only are handled in the fourth and fifth of these Propheticall visions the one setting forth the destruction of Antichrist vnder seuen vials chap. 15 16. and the other by casting him into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone chap. 17 18 19. And thus he sheweth that Nicolaus Collado before him vnderstood these visions and S. Augustine giueth an hint of it when as he saith that S. Iohn doth repeat the same things many wayes Lib. 20. de ci◠Dei cap. 17. as was touched before The same method almost is set forth by Gorran but others take it for a continued prophesie to the end of the world of things orderly succeeding one another For mine owne part hauing seriously considered that in these foure vniuersall visions it is still ended with the end of all things the euerlasting torments of the wicked and the ioyes of the godly which end is but one so that it must needs bee granted that this is diuers times repeated I doe not see how this method of Pareus can be excepted against or any other well iustified and therfore do suscribe hereunto and wish all others well to weigh it and I doubt not but they shall finde so great light to be giuen into the ensuing Prophesie as that they will acknowledge much help to the vnderstāding of many things to be afforded euen by this method Vers 9. I hasten now to the 9. verse Quest What was this Patmos how came Iohn thither Ans It is one of the Cyclad Ilands of the Aegean sea Plin. l. 4. c. 12. thirty thousand paces in compasse according to Pliny Others contend to haue it an Iland of the Icarian sea as Strabo Strab. l. 14. others say it is the same which is now called Possidium as Munster but which soeuer it was a desolate place hauing but few inhabitants How Iohn came there is intimated here Euseb l. 1. c. 34. Ieron Catal. and by Eusebius and Ierome expressed he was banished thither by Domitian in the fourteenth yeere of his Empire Tertullian saith that hee was first taken by the Gouernour of Asia at Ephesus Lib. de praescript and sent to Rome where Domitian commanded him to bee put into boyling oyle in derision of the Christian name which is taken from oyle but comming forth againe without any hurt he was banished into this Iland from whence hee was released againe vnder Nerua and returned to Ephesus Quest What meaneth he Vers 10. when he saith he was in the spirit vpon the Lords day Answ It is agreed by all that hereby is meant that he saw not the things following with his bodily eyes but being in a transe the Spirit reuealing them to him his soule being for the time taken out of his bodie and carried away with the Lord to behold them as the old Prophets and Peter and Paul were The Lords day The Lords day was the time wherein Christ arose from death and therefore obserued amongst Christians for their holy assemblies as the Sabbath was by the Iewes And as the resurrection and appearings of Christ vpon this day so this Reuelation at the same time maketh not a little for the honouring of this day Wherefore the Apostles appointed the assembling together vpon this day 1 Cor. 16. and it hath beene euer since obserued accordingly Onely some will not haue it kept with strict resting as the Iewes were commanded of old but only with comming together to the worship of God as Beza vpon this place accounting it a bondage brought vpon Christians when strict resting was by Constantine commanded and by other Emperours after But it may plainely bee gathered both from Chrysostome and Augustine that they held a cessation then necessarie from all worldly affaires of our callings Augustine saith Serm. 251. de temp Let vs obserue the Sabbath my brethren as it was appointed of old from euen to euen and being sequestred from countrey labour and from all businesse let vs attend vpon diuine worship only Hem. 43. in 8 Cor. 16. And Chrysostome The Lords day is the root and beginning of our life and therein are vnspeakable good things it hath rest and is free from businesses And indeed the one doth necessarily imply the other if diuine worship must be attended worldly businesse must needs be laid aside Otherwise it were not only a change but an abolition of the Sabbath which is a rest And it is to be noted that when Christ would make way to the abrogating of the old Sabbath hee did not iustifie any workes but such as were of present necessitie Whereas if he had meant that the Christians afterwards vpon their Sabbaths should haue more libertie hee would doubtlesse haue done or said something to intimate that also For that which followeth Vers 11. v. 11. I shall not need to say any thing there being nothing but a preparatiue to the vision with the vtterance of the same periphrasis of our Sauiour Christ which went before and a particular nomination of the Churches before mentioned touching which it shall suffice here to know that they were the greatest Cities of Asia the lesser wherein Saint Iohn had laboured in planting the Gospell and
touching sundry of which we read expressely that Saint Paul preached there as at Ephesus Acts 19. to which place also hee wrote an Epistle and Pergamus which was otherwise called Troy for Paul is said to haue beene at Troas seuen dayes Acts 20.6 and Thiatyra where Lydda dwelt Acts 16.14 and Laodicea for the Epistle to the Colossians is appointed to bee read to them of Laodicea Col. 4 16. Quest Why are the Churches set forth by golden Candlestickes Veâ—â—â—â— for so the seuen golden Candle-stickes are expounded in the last verse Answ Candle-stickes they are called because as lights stand vpon candle-stickes to giue light to all the roome so the light of truth is vpheld in the Church in that the truth only is there maintained and suffered to be taught In that they are said to be golden it is alluded to the Candle-sticke in the Tabernacle and withall it is set forth how pretious the Church is in Gods account Whereas it is said The seuen Candle-stickes are seuen Churches that is signifie them Note that it is the common phrase of the Holy Ghost to call a thing signified by the name of the signe which if it be so in all other passages why not when he saith This is my body Quest Vers 13. How is Christ said here to bee like the sonne of man and in the midst of the Churches Is hee now in his humanitie wherein we beleeue that he is in Heauen at the right hand of God vpon earth also amongst the faithfull If not how is this a true representation Answ Some haue thought that this is not Christ Gorran but some man or an Angell but it is most plaine because hee is said to haue beene dead and aliue againe that it was Christ Iesus Neither doth it hinder that he is said to be like the sonne of man for so it is spoken of Christ Phil. 2.7 that he was in shape like vnto a man that is like one of vs not in externall appearance but in substance of bodie Heb. 2.15 for he tooke flesh and bloud This phrase seemeth to be borrowed from Daniel 7.13 Touching his presence in the midst of the Churches Fox Some vnderstand it of his spirituall presence whereby he doth viuifie gouerne and preserue his Some foolishly conclude from hence the vbiquitie of his humane nature Brightman but one saith well that what was here exhibited to be seen was not the substance of Christs bodie but a figure taken vp for the time to represent his person in the parts and garments described befitting the condition of the Church then and therefore as occasion serueth another figure and another is afterwards exhibited of which minde it seemeth Ireneus was Iren. l. 4. c. 37. who saith The word of God hath alwayes as it were the lineaments of future things and did shew vnto men as it were the shape of the dispositions of God the Father teaching vs hereby the things that are of God Christ therefore both God and man is here represented in the midst of the Churches who though hee be not to be seene with bodily eyes yet is alwayes present in the midst of his to behold their carriage and doings that they may walke circumspectly and to enlighten sanctifie and protect them that they may be of good comfort against all their enemies And it was necessarie that he should be in the shape of a man represented because no type of God can be giuen Quest What is set forth by the garments and parts of this figure here appearing Vers 13 14 15 16. his long garment and girdle his head haires eyes c Answ I will not mention all the significations that I finde amongst Writers hereupon but only the chiefe and most likely Long garments were wont to be worne by Kings and Priests called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they came downe to the feet wherefore his Kingly and Priestly office are hereby signified according to most Brightman but some vnderstand also the long robes of his righteousnesse concerning the faithfull but that agreeth not here where not the faithfull but Christ is described Others vnderstand his humane nature Gorran being taken and put as it were vpon the Diuinitie but what needeth this when as his humane nature is intimated before Like to the Sonne of man His golden girdle also is after the manner of the high Priest for when as the other Priests were girt with girdles Exod. 23.39 curiously wrought with the needle in diuers colours Ioseph Antiq. l 3. c. 8. the high Priest only had gold in his girdle wherefore this tendeth further to set him forth as the high Priest of his Church Pareus Some vnderstand his diligence and strength and because it was about his paps his loue Some apply this also to the Church Brightman assumed as a Consort in this high office some to chastitie c. but certainly here is nothing meant but his dignitie A phrase much like to this is vsed of the Lord Esa 11. Righteousnesse shall bee the girdle of his loines and faith the cinctarie of his reines Pareus His white head and haire signifie his reuerend antiquitie Chrisium vidit conitie venerandum prudentia suspiciendum puritate innecuum aetate aeternum wisdome and eternitie So God the Father is described Dan. 7.9 * Brightman Gorran Some vnderstand by the head the chiefe in Christian Congregations by the haires the rest all are made white in the bloud of Christ as snow for the simplicitie and as wooll because that is not so white of it selfe but being washed Others by the head vnderstand Christ the head of the Church by the haires the Saints white as wooll for the heat of loue and as snow for the coldnesse of feare c. but seeing the person of Christ is here set forth all these things are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the purpose Pareus His flaming eyes set forth how terrible hee is to his enemies for so much as the eyes seeme to sparkle in furious anger Dan. 10.6 His face was as lightning and his eyes as lamps of fire Gorran Some vnderstand it of the inlightning and inflaming of vs. Brightman Some of the cleere eye-sight of the Primitiue Church His feet like shining brasse as if they burned in a furnace set forth his great glorie shining from top to toe for when the Prophet would expresse the glorie of the Ministers of the Gospell he speaketh of their feet How beautifull are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of peace c. The like is Dan. 10.6 This brasse was a kinde of brasse in colour comming next vnto gold and in price accordingly Some will haue it to be a kinde of hard frankincense like brasse Others brasse to bee digged in mount Libanus Pareus Mason Some vnderstand Christs power to stampe his enemies vnder his feet but why then are his feet set
some one of these and these Epistles were therefore thus directed that wee might learne by their example for which cause it is so oft repeated Hee that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches The first Epistle Chap. 2. ver 1. THese two Chapters containe seuen Epistles whereof foure are in the second three in the third The first Epistle to Ephesus is set forth in seuen verses the reason why Ephesus is first is according to most because it was the chiefe being the Metropolis of those parts Quest Why is choice made of these two circumstances of holding the seuen starres in his right hand and walking in the midst of the seuen golden Candlesticks for the periphrasis of the Lord Iesus to this Church and of some other particulars to other Churches for there is difference in his title in euery Epistle Answ Many Expositors are silent about this question only obseruing that euery title is as much as if he should haue said Thus saith the Lord according to the ancient manner of the Prophets to procure the more reuerence to that which is written as comming from authority But doubtlesse something else is here intimated or else he would not in euery Epistle so purposely haue varied Gorran Brightman Some therefore say that in euery one something is chosen out of the former descriptions which doth most fitly agree to the argument of the Epistle Wherefore to the Church of Ephesus hee setteth himselfe so forth as that they might bee comforted in his protection in their sufferings for his sake and not for any feare shrinke from their first loue And how graciously they haue beene protected in Ephesus appeareth in the History of the Church Act. 19. Paul and Gaius and Aristarchus neuer suffered any violence there that we reade of though it were attempted and Iohn returned thither after his banishment and died in peace If therefore we bee at any time discouraged through persecution for the Gospels sake let vs haue recourse to this Epistle The Lord is euer in the midst of his golden Candlestickes and holdeth the starres in his right hand Of the other particulars we shall see in their proper place Quest But who is the Angell of this Church was there but one Minister or more that it is spoken in the singular number to the Angell Timothie is mentioned to be the first Bishop of Ephesus is it to be thought that this blame could bee laid vpon him Answ All agree that it is not meant of any one but of the whole body of the ministery there for that there were many appeareth Alcasar Act. 20.17 Some hold that Timothy was then the chiefe but most that Timothy was martyred before that time neither is it expressed in history who was his successour And he is not here named because the Lord had not so much respect to any one but to the whole body of the ministery Quest Who were they that said they were Apostles Vers 2. but being tried were found to be otherwise Answ They were the heretickes of those times that vnder this glorious title of the Apostles of Christ sought to draw men to their damnable heresies as Ebion Cerinthus c. For that such were busie in the Church of Ephesus may bee gathered from that which Saint Paul wrote to Timothie 1 Tim. 1.3 Quest How is it said Thou hast lost thy first loue Vers 4. when as he is commended vers 3. to haue laboured and not to haue fainted Answ Some vnderstand these things as spoken of diuers times Brightman that there was such patience and paines at the first planting of the Gospell there which continued all the while that Iohn was amongst them but now the Ministers had not such loue to the flocke of Christ with such diligence to feed them which also in part appeareth by history For a young man committed to the care of one by Iohn in his abscence through his remisnesse fell to robbing for which he is by Iohn challenged in an Epistle written to him Euseb lib. 3. cap. 23. Now this man was a Bishop though not there yet of a neere adioyning place which maketh it probable that the like remisnesse was vsed in Ephesus also Ambrose Andreas Pareus Others by loue vnderstand charity in releeuing the poore wherein there was a coldnesse in the Bishop growing couetous so that howsoeuer there were diuers things in him commendable yet he had this blemish dimming all his other vertues But I preferre the former because diligence and care in feeding the flocke of Christ with wholesome doctrine and keeping them from errour is commended to Saint Peter Ioh. 21.16 17. as the greatest loue vnto Christ and therefore to grow negligent herein may well bee taxed as a falling from the first loue If workes of charity should be meant there would haue beene something else in the Epistle to intimate them whereas all make for loue in caring for the flocke For he is bidden doe his first works which what are they but labour and care before mentioned and the threatning to remoue the Candlesticke agreeth most fitly as a punishment in the right kinde to depriue them of light that were growne to make no better vse of it by enlightening with teaching the ignorant Note that what any haue beene God regardeth not if now they bee declined and falne from it Ezech. 18.26 Quest What were the Nicolaitans here mentioned Vers 6. Answ They were a vile sect taking their name from Nicolas one of the seuen Deacons who held a community of women and that to haue to doe with diuers women was no sin as both Ireneus and Theodoret doe deliuer Iren. lib. 1. c. 27. Some haue thought that Nicolas being so holy a man could not bee the Anthour of so foule a crime but when as his iealousie ouer his wife was obiected vnto him because shee was a faire woman he to free himselfe from this suspition brought her forth set her in the midst offering to depart with her to any other man which being done by him onely in way of apology was peruerted and amongst many that opinion of community imbraced who were called vpon this occasion by his name as Clemens Alexandrinus sheweth Clem. Alexan. Strom. lib. 3. But this is to be thought rather his fauourable coniecture touching Nicolas than truth otherwise the Lord would haue spared his name That Nicolas was the Author of this sect teacheth also Eusebius lib. 3. cap. 23. Epiphan Haeres 25. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 15. Quest What is meant by the tree of life here promised Vers 7. and why doth he vary the promise to him that ouercommeth in euery Epistle and what is it to ouercome Answ He that ouercommeth by the consent of all is hee that in his spirituall fight with the world the flesh and the Deuill is not made to languish or decay in any virtuous course but perseuereth and holdeth
out vnto the end Gorran One noteth many acceptions of this word the tree of life Sometime the holy Scripture is called the tree of life as Prou. 3. sometime patience Prou. 11. sometime deuout preaching Prou. 15. sometime Christ himselfe and sometime the chiefe felicity which is meant here and it is said to be in the Paradise of God because in a place of delights not as the world counts delights but according to God And to the same effect almost speake others the thing promised here is Christ with that eternall happinesse which he bringeth with him to all true beleeuers that hold out vnto the end The promise is the same with that He that endureth to the end shall be saued Matth. 24.13 2 Tim. 4.7 Ioh. 6.54 and henceforth remaineth the crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous God will bestow c. It is alluded vnto the tree of life in Paradise because as that would haue conferred immortality vpon Adam if he had eaten of it so he that eateth of Christ by faith shall liue for euermore and this is the true meaning of that Touching the variation of the title of this reward promised in euery Epistle One saith Gorran that there are seuen vices against which we are to make spirituall warre and to such as ouercome euery of these the blessednesse to come is propounded in a seuerall title sutable The first vice is gluttony and drunkenesse the victory ouer which is first propunded because it is in vaine to striue against any other sinne vnlesse this be subdued which was shewed in the combate of our Sauiour Christ his first temptation was in this kinde To the victory here to eat of the tree of life is promised which Adam could not because he was this way vicious this is to bee refreshed spiritually here and hereafter The second vice is feare of worldly miseries to him that ouercommeth this not being driuen from the faith hereby it is promised that he shall not be hurt of the second death The third is the loue of pleasure to him that ouercommeth this the hidden Manna is promised diuine consolation The fourth is enuy against which is opposed the ruling ouer nations The fift is lechery against which white garments are opposed The sixt is pride against which is opposed I will make him a pillar in the house of God which is most comely The seuenth is idlenesse against which is opposed I will giue him to sit in my Throne Brightman Others either obserue nothing vpon this variety or else apply all to the seuerall conditions of the Church in seuerall ages and so say that as Adam in Paradise was the first man so in speaking of the first Church it is alluded to him But me thinkes that the eternall reward of their constancy should not be so variously propounded for nothing and touching the Churches in seuerall ages although there be some likelihood in the first being so applied yet in the rest it faileth Wherefore I hold that the obseruation of the seuerall vices against which we haue to fight is not impertinent here although haply in the number and particularizing of them there may bee ouermuch curiosity But certainly eternall happinesse doth counteruaile all the pleasure and profit of sinne and whatsoeuer detriment or danger may accrue through piety shall fully be made amends for thereby and it doth not a little helpe to vnderstand this to propound it diuers wayes If then we be tempted any way let vs resist considering that thus we shall prouide for our owne welfare for euer euen in those things wherein wee are moued by temptation THe second Epistle is to the Church of Smyrna in foure verses The second Epistle Vers 8. viz. 8 9 10 11. wherein nothing is taxed Quest Who was the Angell in this Church that it hath so rare commendations Answ The most probable opinion is that Policarp the disciple of Saint Iohn was chiefe minister here Iren. lib. 3. cap. 3. For both Ireneus and Eusebius agree that hee was by the Apostles constituted Bishop in Smyrna whereas all of them but Iohn were dead before Domitians time And all things in the Epistle agree to him a most holy man there being nothing reproued in him and the exhortation to constancy intimating his persecution to come for he was most cruelly martyred vnder Antoninus Verus and the mentioning of the Iewes for by their instigation hee was murthered Onely it may bee doubted for so much as betwixt Domitians foureteene yeeres when this was reuealed and Antoninus Verus were threescore seuen yeres But this is againe resolued by the consideration of Policarps confession of himselfe that hee had serued Christ fourescore and six yeeres as Eusebius sheweth This Smyrna is put second because next to Ephesus Quest 2. Why is the Lord here intitled The first and the last which was dead but is aliue Answ It is spoken for the comfort of him that was in danger of death for the Gospell Gorran according to the argument of this Epistle for if life for euer followed Christs death what need any member of Christ to feare death Brightman Or else because in this Epistle he is said to be rich yet affliction and pouerty is mentioned vnderstand by this title Christs maiesty by which hee is first and his humiliation whereby he was last wherein this Angel is comforted against the base esteeme of the world I know thy pouerty but thou art rich Quest 3. Who were they that called themselues Iewes Vers 9. and what was their blasphemy Answ Some thinke that such are meant Glossa ord as made a profession of Christ and yet were enemies than which there could be no enemies more grieuous But others more rightly Pareus Brightman that they were Iewes indeed glorying in that name as the onely people of God who stood so earnestly for the old ceremonies and legall seruice that they hated most deadly all Christians for we reade in the Acts of the Apostles of their fury and seeking to stirre vp the people in all places against the Christians and in particular against Policarp as hath beene already touched Their blasphemies were all the most opprobrious names that they could deuise against Christians they called Christ a cousener Impostorem suspensum necromantum Cruciarios asinarios sarmentarios semassios Apol. cap. vlt. a crucified man and a Negromancer and Christians cruciaries asinaries Sarmentaries and Semassies as Tertullian sheweth Quest What is meant by the affliction which it is said they shall haue for ten dayes Answ About this number of dayes there is great difference amongst Expositors Vers 10. Most hold that some short time is hereby meant Bullinger Chitreus Franc. Lamb. Pareus but a certaine number of dayes put for an vncertaine * Beda Haimo Gorran Ribera Rupertus Some say that the number of ten is a number of perfection containing in it all other numbers and therefore setteth forth a
furnace and then taken out againe It is said to come vpon all the world because in all countreys none that professe the Christian religion escaping for all that will liue godly must suffer persecution Touching this Church in particular it is not to be thought that it should bee altogether exempt but supported with patience to endure so that their faith should not be hereby shaken or any grace impaired as must needs bee through the terriblenesse of persecution if the Lord did not deliuer therefrom And all these comforts belong to euery one that cleaueth to Gods word resoluing to endure any thing rather than to be beaten from it his sufferings shall be but an houre to his triall and bettering and his soule shall bee safe from all euill that might accrue vnto it thereby Quest 5. Vers 11. What is meant by saying that no man may take thy crowne Can any that are elected to the crowne of heauenly glory miscarry and lose it Answ Some vnderstanding these words of the glory to come inferre the vncertainty of saluation because euen the Angell of this Church so highly commended is yet spoken to as in a possibilty of losing his Crowne as Thomas Aquinas and other popish Writers Pareus Others that maintaine a certainty of saluation trouble themselues much about the resoluing of this doubt how there can be any certainty of any mans saluation if he may lose his Crowne and another not appointed to it may get it But they resolue it by saying that this is spoken for excitation only and because by such admonitions the Lord worketh perseuerance in the Elect. Others by this Crowne vnderstand nothing but the glory and praise of well-doing Bullinger Brightman which would be lost and fall to another if either hee should grow remisse or be corrupted by heresie after that hee had carried himselfe thus worthily and to this I subscribe For he that weareth a royall Diadem hath not more glory amongst men than the vertuous Christian before God true piety is a Crowne vpon the head of him that is endued therewith Quest 6. What is meant by this Vers 12. I will make him a Pillar in the Temple of my God and hee shall not goe out any more and I will write vpon him the name of my God c. and why is the reward thus set forth to this Church Answ Some thinke that it is alluded to the custome of the Romans Bullinger Pareus who were wont to set vp Pillars to the honour of famous Conquerours inscribing their names and noble acts But it is to be noted that he doth not say I will set him vp a Pillar but I will make him a Pillar and therefore the very same Authors after that allusion mentioned preferre another exposition taking this to be an allusion to the Pillars set vp in the Temple by Salomon 1 King 7.15 For as they were an ornament to the Temple so the great lustre and glory which these should haue in Heauen is hereby set forth Some apply this to the present state of the faithfull in this world who are set fast as those Pillars or of whom some are most eminent as Pillars for so Peter Gal. 2.9 Iames and Iohn are said to haue beene Pillars 1 Tim. 3 15. and the Church it selfe is called The ground and Pillar of truth And as those Pillars so they are firme by faith Richard de Sancto Victore strait by equity erected by intention and lofty by contemplation But seeing the rewards promised in this life went before being plainly distinguisht from the reward here set forth which is to come I consent with those that vnderstand by the Temple of God Heauen and by the Pillar eminency of glory there Brightman And because those Pillars of the Temple were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar that this estate might appeare to be more firmely and vnmoueably setled it is added He shall not goe out any more For the names which hee saith he will write vpon him The seuenth Epistle to Laodicea Chap. 3.14 herein the allusion is still continued for Salomon wrote vpon those Pillars certaine names vpon the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee shall establish and vpon the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it is strength so for the greater glory of this Pillar Gods Name shall bee inscribed because hee is the childe of God new Ierusalems name because hee is a Citizen thereof and Christs new name that is Iesus Christ risen from the dead and set at the right hand of God because hee is of the number of his redeemed ones For the other question why to this Church the reward is thus propounded I finde nothing amongst Expositers but the reason I take it is plaine because they were a long time of little strength and much wronged and disgraced but they should bee strengthened as a brazen Pillar and honoured with the highest titles conferred by the Iudge of the whole world Let this then comfort euery ones heart that mourneth in Zion for the tyranny oppressions and opprobries of persecutors they shall be set as Pillars c. And to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea write These things saith the AMEN Chap 3. Ver. 14 that witnesse that faithfull one and true the beginning of the creature of God This Epistle doth consist altogether of reprehension and admonition for luke-warmnesse hauing nothing of commendation in it as the Epistle before going was altogether commendatory and in no part reprehensory This Laodicea was the chiefe City of Caria according to Strabo and Pliny built by Antiochus Theas and named from Laodice the name of his Queene signifying the Prince of people giuing Lawes vnto them Quest 1. Why is the Lord thus set forth to this Church and whence are these titles taken and what is meant by them Answ These titles are taken from Chap. 1.5 where hee is called The faithfull witnesse and vers 18. Amen and generally in all passages the beginning and the end How hee is said to be Amen Saint Paul teacheth 2 Cor. 1.19 20. saying For the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen because whatsoeuer he saith is true and certaine for which cause that witnesse and that faithfull one is added The Arrian layeth hold vpon this that he is called the beginning of the creature to proue Christ to be but a meere man but the words doe not imply this for he is the beginning and the end that is eternall both ex parte ante and ex parte post all creatures had their beginning in him Bullinger seeing he made them all The beginning of the creature then doth not argue a creature though Bullinger vnderstandeth it thus of his humanity Brightman Pareus but the greatest power by which the creature hath the beginning according to others who say that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may also be vnderstood of principality but for so much as often
times being brought in speaking to tell of a Lion and of the root of Dauid according to the Prophesies that then went of him but when he appeareth to Iohn it is most fit that hee should appeare as a Lambe bearing a signe of being killed because he was so lately crucified and by the name of a Lambe he was spoken of by the Prophet of the new Testament Iohn the Baptist There are many reasons rendred why he was spoken of as a Lion and as a Lambe He was called a Lion first Ioh. 1.29 for his strength in ouercomming all his enemies secondly for his principality whereby he is King of all as the Lion is of the beasts thirdly for his courage whereby hee feareth nothing but maketh all afraid of him fourthly for his vnderstanding euen in his child-hood as the Lion alone of all beasts that haue clawes seeth as soone as he is whelped And whereas it may seeme strange that a Lion is spoken of for the opening of a Booke for which such a creature is vnfit one resolueth it well that sinne and the Deuill hindring from the sight of the mysteries of God Brightman a Lion of power to breake the force of these is fitly mentioned because this hindrance being taken away the seales that kept them fast in closed are as it were loosed The root of Dauid he is called according to Esay 53.2 whereas he is said to be a branch out of the root Esay 11.1 because although he be but a branch according to the flesh for so much as he came of Dauid yet hee is a root according to his Diuinity Rupertus Pannonius whereupon Dauid and all the godly are borne by faith partaking of his grace as of sap comming from him and consequently of saluation by him He is called a Lambe because he was offered vp in sacrifice for our sinnes at what time as a Lambe is dumbe and complaineth not so he opened not his mouth Orig. Hom. 24. in Num. He is in the midst of the Throne because taken vp to the same glory with God in his humane nature he standeth to set forth his resurrection Hee hath seuen hornes to shew his kingly power for hornes set forth strength and Kings seuen being a number of perfection that he hath the power of all Kingdomes Seuen eyes set forth the fulnesse of spirituall light comming from him as all Expositors agree If it shall seeme strange that Christ should appeare as a Lambe with seuen hornes to declare his kingly power seeing the Lambe is a weake creature and hath little strength in the hornes I answer that it was necessary he being set forth as a Sacrifice for our sinnes whereby they were taken away being otherwise an obstacle to the perception of diuine mysteries hornes in great number should be ascribed vnto him to declare his might yet remaining when hee had suffered lest his enemies should contemne him as a weakling And although two hornes which Lambs vsually haue were vnfit to set forth this yet seuen hornes doe fitly set forth an extraordinary Lambe mighty beyond the nature of that beast And the seuen eyes answer to the seuen Seales so that he hath eyes enow to see what is vnder euery seale Note that sinne hindreth from vnderstanding the mysteries of God they must be first expiated or else the Booke of God will still remaine sealed it is in vaine to diue into the knowledge of these things for an vnregenerate person that hath no part yet in the sacrifice of this Lambe whereby only his sinnes may be done away Quest 2. The Elders are said to haue Harpes and golden Vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints What Saints prayers are meant here the Saints in Heauen haue no need to offer prayers for themselues bee not these then our prayers and if they be is not here a ground to entreat them to further vs in our prayers seeing they must needs know what we pray otherwise they cannot offer the odours of our prayers And why doe they addresse themselues thus to celebrate the praises of the Lambe vpon the taking of this book to open it Ans The popish sort will haue their presenting of our prayers before God here vnderstood or at the least the prayings of the Saints in Heauen for vs which if it be so then they are Mediators of intercession and to be sought vnto by vs. Our Writers on the other side will haue nothing else but the praises of the Lambe which follow in this Chapter vnderstood because a thanksgiuing is a kinde of prayer It is most cleare that the prayers of Gods people vpon earth are not meant because they are odours in the golden Vials of these glorified Elders something proceeding from them and the â—est of the Saints in Heauen euen as the incense offered by the Priests vnder the Law was a sweet fume kindled by them that offered it But whether they were properly prayers petitioning for something or praises it is a question Forbs Brightman Some will haue this a representation of the Church vpon earth singing and offering vp the sweet odours of prayer but this cannot stand because things in earth are brought in praising the Lambe afterwards Neither can I see how the following praises should bee meant by the prayers of the Saints for that was the song which they sung to their Harpes from which the odours in their Vials are a distinct thing It must needs then be yeelded that Prayers are here properly to be vnderstood and the prayers of these foure and twenty together with all the rest of the Saints in Heauen for the Church vpon earth And so it cannot be denied but that they intercede for vs only their intercession is for vs all in generall not knowing the particular case of any seeing as the Prophet saith Abraham knoweth vs not Esa 63.16 Israel is ignorant of vs. And therefore to apply our selues to them in our praying that we may be holpen by their mediation as we are directed to doe vnto Christ is absurd and superstitious yea for so much as this honour belongeth to Christ only it is from him derogatory and so in a high degree impious It is comfort enough to vs in respect of the Saints in Heauen that they beare still an intire loue towards vs and by soliciting the Lord for vs seeke to further our happinesse and that their prayers in this kinde are gratefull as odours and so are all our owne godly prayers Also comming out of golden Vials that is hearts purified and made precious by Faith For their disposing of themselues to these praises after the taking of this sealed Booke to open the reason is plaine it is no small part of blessednesse to vnderstand the mysteries of God herein contained this blessednesse wee cannot attaine vnto but by the Lambe that hath died for vs wherefore when the Booke of these mysteries commeth to the opening there is great reason
the rest of this Chapter it hath no great difficulty in it if by the innumerable multitude in white robes and palmes in their hands wee vnderstand the Saints already glorified who though compared with the rest of the world they be but a little flocke yet simply considered they are a great multitude they haue palmes in their hands in token of victory And whereas in speaking of the wicked Chap. 6 hee concludeth with their misery in respect of the wrath of the Lambe here answerably it is concluded with the felicity of the godly washed in the bloud of the Lambe and euerlastingly comforted by him the phrases of leading forth to waters and wiping away all teares being adaptated to set forth the same CHAP. VIII THE whole compasse of time from the beginning of the Gospell to the last end of the world hauing beene set forth with the most remarkable accidents in one kinde of vision Chap. 6 7. here followeth another vpon the opening of the seuenth seale which yet remained in this eighth and the ninth tenth and eleuenth Chapters Wherein after preparation to attention and a preludium of Gods gracious acceptance of the prayers of the Saints and of his terriblenesse to the wicked seuen Angels sound their trumpets to call on the hosts of Gods iudgements to waste both land and sea to infect their waters whereof they dranke and the aire wherein they breathed his hosts of hurtfull beasts comming out of the bottomlesse pit and of men brought from afarre vpon horses for their destruction the last of the seuen summoning all to iudgement and making the very dead to come forth for then the trumpet shall blow 1 Cor. 15. and the dead shall rise In the particular opening of the seuerall passages there is very great difficulty Quest 1. And when he had opened the seuenth seale Vers 1. there was silence in heauen as it were halfe an houre What is meant by this silence Answ Some that will haue these visions to set forth things done successiuely Brightman assigne the opening of this seale to Constantines time when the Church had peace and quietnesse for a short time being broken off againe by the Arrians Some referre it to the time after Antichrists destruction when they say the Church shall bee quiet fiue and forty dayes before the dry of iudgement Rupertus Beda Anfelm Richard de Sancto Victore Pannonius c. grounding vpon that of Daniel 12.11 where 1290. dayes hauing beene spoken of for the censing of the daily sacrifice hee is pronounced blessed that attaineth to 1335. Some referre it to the time of Iulians persecution which was not by fire and sword but by other subtill meanes Blas Viegas nameth thiâ— exposition yet they were debarred from all publike seruice of God and so there was silence in the Church but it was a very short time he reignâ—ng but two yeeres Others vnderstand this silence of attention Bullinger Pareus Forbs Viegas Fâ—x c. or a kinde of stupour making all silent for a time at the appearing of the seuen Angels with their trumpets the iudgements to come when they should blow being so great and strange as that the beholders were in some sort a stonied hereby and interrupted in their heauenly harmony as it is wont to be with vs when any strange thing happeneth and as it was with Iobs friends comming to visit him they sate downe in silence by him seuen dayes Lastly one addeth further Fox that the generall peace when Christ is borne is hereby signified To this of admiration and attention do I subscribe but I doe not thinke any other signification to bee in this silence The peace of the Chureh cannot be hereby meant for a time because the future troubles are not of the Church but of the wicked as is plainly expressed vnder the fift trumpet the Locusts hurt onely such as had not the marke of God in their forehead much lesse can it bee vnderstood of the quiet after Antichrist destroyed for then the day of iudgement should immediatly haue succeeded as it doth not but six trumpets first As for Iulians time it were too great a leape to come to that at the first of this vision all the time preceding being omitted Augustine Primasius Marlorat and whereas some expound it of the rest to come that being euerlasting it cannot be so taken Note that the iudgements against wicked persecutors of the Church and people of God are so stupendious that the very Saints and Angels in heauen stand amazed at them being but in figures represented vnto them Quest 2. And I saw the seuen Angels which stand before God Vers 2. Who are these Angels Answ There may seeme to be such an analogy betwixt this and that Chap. 1.4 Seuen spirits before the throne that these Angels and those spirits may seeme to be all one and that in the apocryphall book of Tobit soundeth likewise Tobit 12.15 I am Raphael one of the seuen Angels which present the prayers of the Saints c. But as I shewed there those seuen spirits are not Angels but them anifold gifts of the spirit and here by the seuen Angels wee are not to vnderstand such a number onely standing before God for thousand thousands stand before him and minister vnto him but seuen of them appointed now to this ministery and therefore they haue trumpets giuen vnto them It is contrary to plaine Scripture and derogatory from the Lord Iesus to hold that there are some Angels which haue an office as it were to receiue and present our prayers before God for Christ onely is our intercessour in heauen if the Angels and Saints doe any thing for vs it is out of their generall loue and affection to the Church a solliciting of the Lord for the good of vs all in common that aduersaries may be confounded the Gospell may enioy a free passage and the chosen of God may be gathered together till their number be made vp Quest 3. And another Angell came and stood by the Altar Vers 3. hauing a golden censer c. What Angell is this who is said so particularly to offer odours with the prayers of the Saints and what is meant by the thunders lightnings and voices following vpon his casting of fire vpon the earth from off the same Altar Answ Most Expositours agree that Christ is figured out by this Angell for he is called the Angell of the Testament Malac. 3. neither can it agree to any Angell as an high Priest thus alone to goe to the Altar and offer there for all the Saints the Altar some will haue also to be Christ as Bullinger and Pareus and Forbs Bullingers Pareus Forbs Beda Primasius Haimo some the Church of God well called an Altar because a spirituall sacrifice is herein daily offered to God as Beda Primasius Haimo c. The golden Censer some will haue to bee his humane nature wherein he offereth as both the same
most against the professours of the truth assuring our selues that they are neerest their vtter ruine CHAP. XVII IN this Chapter and that which followeth the great City before said to bee diuided into three parts is more particularly described together with her vtter ruine and ouerthrow in respect of the head and fountaine Rome from whence all the abominations of idolatry and superstition haue flowed In the exposition of the particulars there is no great difference nor difficulty so much light hauing beene already giuen and therefore I will the more briefly only touching the diuersity of interpretations come to open euery passage as it lieth in order Quest 1. Which of the seuen Angels is it that sheweth Iohn these things Vers 1 2 c. who is the great Whore whom he saith he will shew vnto him what are the waters called also a beast vers 3. strangely described that she sitteth vpon And why was hee led into a desart place to behold this and touching the more particular description of this Whore and the word Mystery written in her forehead what is meant hereby Answ The Angell is held by some to bee the fift Brightman who powred out his Viall vpon the throne of the beast Pareus Napier But others more rightly hold him to bee the seuenth Angell vpon the powring out of whose Viall the great City was diuided into three parts which is againe more particularly vndertaken here that by the relation of this Angell it might be more fully vnderstood both what this City is and how and by what meanes she commeth to be destroyed Others indefinitely take this Angell for one of the seuen Bullinger c. Touching the great Whore it is agreed almost by all that it is Rome Bellar. lib. 3. de Rom. pont fice cap. 13. yea euen by Romanists themselues Bellarmine saith Wee may say and that better in my iudgement that by the Whore Rome is vnderstood so likewise Ribera and Viegas the Iesuites vpon this place Tertullian of old spake to the same effect Tertul. contra Iudaeâ—s Babylon in Saint Iohn doth represent Rome being as great and as proud of her dominions and as tyrannizing ouer the Saints as euer Babylon was Ieronim 11. qu. ad Algasiam And Ierome saith According to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn in the sorehead of the queane clad in purple there was a name of blasphemy written to wit Rome the euerlasting See more touching this before Chap. 14. vers 8. and how that shift of heathen Rome being meant here is confuted whereunto wee may adde that heathen Rome cannot be meant because then Rome subdued the Kings of the earth by force and not by subtill inticements as this Babylon doth and because the Rome here spoken against shall bee vtterly destroyed for the sins found then therein when the time of destruction commeth but heathen Rome was not so destroyed and if Rome should at the last be destroyed for the idolatries of the Heathen this destruction must come for idolatries put downe many hundred yeeres agone which is contrary to the course of the Lords proceedings against sinfull places As for their last refuge to an apostasie yet to bee expected in Rome in regard of which it is thus spoken of here see also Chap. 14. vers 8. Touching the many waters whereupon this woman sitteth they are interpreted vers 15. to be peoples and Nations and tongues ouer which Rome ruleth by the power residing there And this circumstance of her sitting is varied euery time that it is spoken of Vers 3. Vers 3. She is shewed sitting vpon a beast of a purple colour full of names of blasphemy hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and vers 9. the seuen heads being spoken of are said to be seuen hills whereupon the woman sitteth Vers 9. She is shewed sitting thus diuersly for diuers respects shee sitteth vpon many waters because she ruleth ouer many peoples and Nations vpon a purple coloured beast because the Senators and Rulers of this State vnder the Emperours did weare purple and skarlet clothing ascribing diuine titles of honor vnto their Emperours in a blasphemous manner as the Cardinals by whom the Pope ruleth now doe vnto him being also likewise apparelled and vpon seuen hils because the City was anciently seated vpon seuen hills And this variation maketh it so plaine as that nothing can bee plainer than that Rome is meant by this Whore seeing no City in the world is so seated but Rome onely neither doth that periphrasis whereby this City is described vers 18. agree to any other This is the great City that hath rule ouer the Kings of the earth And this name Whore is chosen to expresse Rome the head of the Antichristian Sect for continuation of the allegory of a woman in the similitude of whom the Church appeared chap. 12. The true Church is a chaste and holy woman who keepeth her selfe only to the Lord to whom shee is married refusing to worship any other or to make any other partaker with him in his diuine titles and attributes The Antichristian Sect is a whorish woman together with the Lord worshipping Images and Saints departed and attributing that vnto the Pope which is proper to the Lord only wherein truly spirituall whoredome doth consist Touching the place the Wildernesse Vers 3. Brightman into which hee was led to see this sight some take Iohn carried hither for a type of such as should be able to see Rome to be the beast and the Pope to be the Whore tiding this beast they should bee obscure persons and such as in whom this light should be little expected euen as in a man liuing and brought vp in the Wildernes there is expected no great matter of learning knowledge Some expound the Wildernesse of Gentilisme wherein Popery indeed appeareth Bullinger for so much as the idolatries and superstitions of the Gentiles barren of good men as the Wildernesse is without people are the very attire wherein Popery marcheth Pareus Some hold that reference is had here to the woman before spoken of Chap. 12. flying into the Wildernesse in the time of heathen persecution being then chaste and beloued of God but now become an Whore by her manifold idolatries Lastly Forbs some hold that hee is carried into the Wildernesse as the fittest place for contemplation and he that will diue into any deepe mysteries must retire himselfe from all worldly incumbrances I hold with this my last Author that there is no mystery in this passage but as vpon other occasions it hath beene vsed Mat 4. Christ was carried by the Spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted so here Iohn is carried into the Wildernesse to see this mystery onely that in so solitary a place there might be no interruption by the comming in of any man or any occurrence which vnusually hapneth in places more frequented whereunto if we adde that the Wildernesse is in
world shall vilitate Great gifts and goods then shall he impetrate Huge heapes of gold he shall haue into treasure With siluer hid and money without measure Discouered things he shall loose and remit Of Magicke Art well shall he know and wit The mysteries and secret sorcery The mighty God he makes a Babe to be Downe he shall tread all true worshippin And at chiefe heads of error first begin His mysteries to all he shall expone Then comes the time of mourning and of mone c. These bookes of the Sybils were much esteemed of and kept in the Capitoll at Rome during the Ethnicisme thereof the prouidence of God ordering it so that from Rome wee might learne that he whose Sea is there is the childe of perdition and after the Popes triple crowne for he is most plainly here described much corruption should be in the worship of God and after that should come vpon that state ineuitable destruction Touching Romes rise at the fall of the Grecian Empire no learned man is ignorant it fell again by means of the Goths Vandals and Heruls and Longobards But touching the time of the new kinde of Empire in him that weareth many crownes it may iustly be doubted seeing many fifteene Emperours haue beene before the Pope came to this height of honour which was not till the dayes of Phocas It is therefore necessary to distinguish betwixt Heathen and Christian Emperours for this being applied to the first sort will in no case stand but to the other it doth very well agree for from Constantine the first Christitian Emperour to Phocas are but fifteene if Iulian the Apostata be cast out who was no Christian and Mauritius by the murthering of whom Phocas attained the Empire be not reckoned as there is no reason to reckon him seeing another vsurped that dignity and tooke it from him The second to Constantine was Constantius and his brethren together the third Iouinianus the fourth Valentinianus and Valens together the fift Gratianus Valentin and Theodosius the sixt Arcadius and Honorius the seuenth Theodosius and Valentin the eighth Martianus the ninth Leo the tenth Zeno the eleuenth Anastatius the twelfth Iustinus the thirteenth Iustinianus the fourteenth Iustinus the younger the fifteenth Tiberius Next to Tiberius Phocas gate the Empire from Mauritius his Master in whose dayes this new kinde of Empire began which from Ponti may iustly be called Pontificiam These things thus consenting to make plaine the mysterie of iniquity in the Popedome doe not harden your selues O ye Papists but be wise in time and come out of Romish Babylon that ye come not with her to perpetuall most horrible destruction CHAP. XIX AFter the vtter destruction of Babel represented here followeth a representation of the great ioy which should hereupon bee amongst the faithfull triumphing ouer her in heauen together with the cause of her destruction and of her partakers and the description of the King by whom shee is destroyed Brightman Vers 1. Some will haue the Church of God vnderstood by heauen which hearing of the destruction of Babel praiseth God for it lest if heauen bee properly vnderstood it should follow that the Saints there know of the things done vpon earth Bullinger Pareus Grasserus But I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand heauen properly as they in heauen were exhorted before Chap. 18.20 to reioyce ouer Babel fallen for howsoeuer they are ignorant of particulars yet it is not vnlikely but that they vnderstand either by the relation of Angels or by reuelation from God what ingenerall is the state of the Church in this world else how could the soules of the slaine lying vnder the Altar cry out for reuenge vpon persecutors as not being yet taken Reuel 6.10 Moreouer there went before a particular exhortation to reioyce for this which argueth the notification of it in heauen by diuine reuelation Touching the song Hallaluiah Vers 3. it is compounded of Hallalu praise yee and iah the Lord Hebrew words It is a question amongst Expositors why they are exhorted to praise God by an Hebrew word To this some answer Brightman that mystically the ioyning of the Iewes who should now be conuerted to the faith is intimated but most without any such mystery hold that a word of this language is chosen as in many other passages in alluding to the old manner of praising God in his Church that first was Bullinger Pareus for Halleluiah in prefixed before many of the Psalmes as a word then ordinarily vsed to praised God And for the same cause the Arke of the Testimony the Altar and Censers with incense are mentioned before because what was and was done in the Temple of God of old amongst the Hebrewes did serue to figure out what should be Vers 4. and be done afterwards in heauen Touching the foure and twenty Elders and foure beasts who haue hitherto stood by as spectatours of all that hath beene done and now giue their applause and approbation it hath beene already shewed what they are Vers 6. Chap. 4.4 c. The voice of all the multitude that stirre vp to praise God compared to the sound of many waters and of thunder is so compared to set forth the greatnesse of the company for they must needs bee very many from whom such a loud sounding voyce must come Vers 7. The matter of this ioy next vnto the ruine of Babel is the marriage of the Lambe approching and the adorning of his wife for the marriage This wife is the woman before spoken of Chap. 12. that fled into the wildernesse from the face of the Dragon but her enemies that sought her life being destroyed shee is brought in now againe her weeds of mourning and sorrow being laid away and garments of ioy and gladnesse as of a Bride going to be married being put vpon her For after the ouerthrow of Popery there shall be no enemies any more to cause mourning and wearing of sack cloth but a most flourishing estate of the Church begun here and soone after perfected in heauen For I doe not thinke that the ioyfull time of this marriage here set forth is to be vnderstood onely of the flourishing estate of the Church in this world after so long a time of persecution but because here is both a preparation and a marriage Supper both the time of the Churches ioyfull condition for a time here where it is prepared and hereafter in heauen where the marriage is perfected and the supper held are included for here the Church is prepared for the Bridegroome Christ by sanctification through the word and Sacraments which haue now their course more freely than in times past there she is presented vnto him and they being really ioyned a feasting supper is held of heauenly comfort and ioy euerlastingly And this is the apparelling of sine linnen granted to the Church here spoken of which is said to be the righteousnesse of the Saints but
heauen and the earth as doth also Saint Peter 2 Pet. 3.13 and therefore I doe not thinke that any sea shall haue a being any more but the glassie sea before the throne Chap. 4. the sea that now is being consumed with the heat of that fire as the Schoole-man speaketh And indeed the sea is such an huge depth and so hideous to behold when it worketh and the waues thereof are tossed to and fro that there is in it some representation of hell that bottomlesse pit boiling with fire and brimstone and therefore for comfort it is added that there was no sea Chap. 9. The Locusts before were noted to come out of the bottomlesse pit and the beast as terrible as they out of the sea Chap. 13. the sea therefore is as another bottomlesse pit against which there is need we should be comforted There shall bee no more sea then for any such beasts to arise out of againe for the terrour of the faithfull and this I take to be the very meaning without any further curious enquiring with the Schoole-men what shall become of the sea then and determining that it shall be changed into an heauenly spheare Saint Augustine by the sea here vnderstandeth the troubles of the world Aug. lib. 20. de Ciu. Dei cap. 17 the aduersities persecutions and great mutations of states which are alwayes here but then shall be no more And I saw the new Ierusalem comming downe from heauen Vers 2. c. This new Ierusalem is the Church glorified and so adorned like a Bride in all her best array Whereas it is obiected that the Church glorified is in heauen and therefore cannot be said to come down from heauen Pareus I answer with Pareus that she is said to come downe from heauen not in respect of locall motion but of her originall which is from God and from heauen for the Saints are begotten of God Iam. 1.18 and therefore may well be said to descend from him yea the Church of God being spoken of elsewhere by this name of Ierusalem is said to be from aboue in this sense Gal 4.26 Ierusalem which is from aboue is the mother of vs all Whereas it is further obiected that shee is spoken of as a Bride prepared for her husband which is by the ornaments of grace in this world I answer it is true the Church indeed is in preparing for Christ in this life but shee is not fully prepared till the accession of glory that shall bee at the last day which is the day of her marriage and therefore to intimate this time the Lord is spoken of not by the name of a Bridegroome but of an husband for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may gather then from hence that the glorified estate of the Church must needs be meant here because till that time she is not fully adorned and prepared for the marriage as she is set forth here to bee for shee is not without some imperfections vntill this time but here she is described as most compleat and perfect in euery respect The Tabernacle of God is with men Vers 3. c. that is with the faithfull he will hence-forth make his abode being vnder the same roofe as it were perpetually as the Bridgegroome liueth with his Bride after the marriage consummated and then it is shewed how happy this estate shall bee by the freedome from all misery and the fruition of all good things which happy condition of the faithfull that it might be made yet more illustrious the contrary estate of the wicked is described The fearefull and vnbeleeuing Vers 8. c. shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone By the fearefull vnderstand such as in the time of persecution are faint hearted so as that rather than they will come into any bodily danger they will fall from their profession of the truth They and all other wicked persons whether they be such as are here particularly reckoned vp or in any other kinde which is set forth by vnbeleeuers and abominable shall burne for euer in hell where they shall weepe and waile and gnash their teeth when as all sorrow and crying shall be done away to the godly Let the wicked therefore tremble at these things and turne and so many as feare God comfort themselues in the assured hope and expectation to be comforted farre beyond all the sorrowes that they doe or can endure in this world From hence-forward the Church reigning in heauen is described vnder the name of the new Ierusalem Hauing the glory of God Vers 11. and her light was like vnto a stone most precious euen like a Iasper stone cleare as crystall c. The Church doth communicate now with God in the brightnesse of his glory which before was represented by a Iasper stone Chap. 4.3 which is of incomparable brightnesse and so is the Crystall From hence it is proceeded to the wall great and high Vers 12. and the twelue gates The wall of a city serueth for defence that the inhabitants may be safe from the incursions of enemies and therefore the new Ierusalem is said to haue a great high wall to set forth the safety thereof Touching the gates whereof three are towards the East Vers 13. c. this is plainly borrowed from Ezech. 48.31 The gates towards all parts shew that this Church is gathered out of all parts of the world which is also plainly taught Luk. 13.29 They shall come out of the East West North South Luk 13.29 Andreas Napier sit down in the kingdom of God Neither do I dislike of the mystery of the Trinity hereby intimated according to some for why else should the number of three be set down rather than any other number The names of the twelue tribes of the childreÌ„ of Israel are written vpon these gates to shew that vnto the true Israelites only this city doth appertaine consisteth of such only Twelue Angels stand at the gates to shew how by the conduct and guidance of the Prophets Bullinger Pareus Napiâ—r Apostles and Ministers of God they are brought in according to some but me thinkes that Angels are rather properly to be vnderstood who are placed as a guard vnto the city at each gate Psal 34. for the Angels of God pitch their tents about those that feare God and they conduct the faithfull into heauen for the Angels at the last day are sent out to gather the wheat into Gods barne The Apostles are expresly mentioned in the next place Vers 14. in speaking of the foundations of this city whereupon their names are written And it is set forth to haue foundations because strong buildings haue foundations well laid and the twelue Apostles names are inscribed vpon them according to the place which they had in the Church in this world Yee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets